Thumbprint Tea Cookies Recipes

PERFECT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix butter and powdered sugar together with a rubber spatula until creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg yolk. Mix with the spatula. Add flour and blend until just combined.
• Use a sorbet scoop to portion dough into 1/2-ounce (1-tablespoon) balls. Roll balls in a plate of white sugar to coat; roll again between your palms. Place several inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.
• To make shortbread cookies with a little jam, poke a well into each cookie using the end of a thick wooden spoon dusted with powdered sugar or using one of your fingers. Fill cookies with fruit jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter to let jam settle.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are barely blonde and bottoms are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar with a little milk until you have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. Pipe icing on top of cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• For a more jam-forward cookie, press your thumb into the cookies to make large, shallow indentations. Spoon in jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter.
• Bake until not quite golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

MATCHA THUMBPRINT COOKIES WITH CHOCOLATE AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake until lightly toasted, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, matcha and salt in a bowl.
• Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg yolk. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating after each until just incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and make sure the dough is evenly mixed.
• Roll the dough into about thirty-two 1-inch balls, making them as smooth and even as you can, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Use the back of a round teaspoon measuring spoon to flatten the cookies and make an indentation in the center of each ball (rearrange the cookies as necessary so that they fit; they don't spread out too much, so about 1/2 inch of space between them is sufficient). If making the indentation causes a large crack, repair the crack with your fingers or re-roll the cookie and try again. Refrigerate the cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake the cookies until the undersides are light golden brown and the tops puffed and set, about 11 minutes. Remove the cookies and use the teaspoon measuring spoon to re-make the indentations that have puffed up during baking. Bake the cookies for 1 minute more, then cool on the baking sheet.
• For the chocolate filling: Put the chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Put the cream, butter and corn syrup in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until steaming hot. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips and let stand 5 minutes, then stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. If the chocolate chips do not completely melt, microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and smooth.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon of chocolate into the well of each cookie, then lightly press a toasted walnut half into each. Let stand until the chocolate sets.

CLASSIC THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust rack to middle position. Coat two cookie sheets lightly with no-stick cooking spray.
• BEAT brown sugar and shortening in medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg yolks, water, vanilla and salt. Beat until well combined. Add flour on low speed until well blended.
• BEAT egg whites in a shallow bowl until foamy. Place pecans in a separate shallow bowl. Measure about 2 teaspoons dough for each cookie. Roll into balls. Dip each dough ball into egg whites, then roll into pecans. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Using the back of a teaspoon or your thumb, make a rounded indentation in the top of each cookie.
• BAKE 10 minutes. Remove from oven. It may be necessary to create the indentation once again with a spoon. Place about 1 teaspoon preserves into the indentation of each cookie. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Cool on baking sheet for several minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

THUMBPRINTS AND BALL COOKIES

Steps:

• Roll dough into 1-inch balls. (For marbleized cookies, roll out a 1/2-inch-thick rope each of vanilla and chocolate dough. Pinch 3/4-inch piece from each rope and roll together into a ball.) Roll in finely chopped nuts, crushed candies, or sanding sugar, if using. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each 1 inch apart.
• For thumbprints: Press a well into the center of each using your finger. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove from oven, and press well again with handle end of a wooden spoon. Bake until firm, 7 to 9 minutes more.For ball cookies: Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees until firm, 14 to 16 minutes.
• Let cool completely. Spoon jam, ganache, dried fruit, or candied orange filling into thumbprints. For chocolate-dipped ball cookies, dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate; sprinkle with candies, and let set in refrigerator.

ICED THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour, salt, and pecans. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls, and space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press thumb into center of each cookie. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven; press centers with the end of a wooden spoon. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets.
• Stir together confectioners' sugar and milk; tint pink. Fill centers with icing. Let set overnight.

RILEY'S THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together softened butter and sugar. Add in dry ingredients. Shape into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press dent into each cookie with thumb. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes. Fill center with icing made from powdered sugar and milk. Use food coloring in icing as desired. Do not substitute margarine for butter, the texture will not be the same.

THUMBPRINT TEA COOKIES

Steps:

• Blend margarind sugar, vanilla and egg yolks.
• Add flour.
• Pinch off and roll small balls in hands.
• Roll each in egg whites, then nuts.
• Place on greased cookie sheet, make a dent in each ball and fill with preserves.
• Bake for 7 minutes at 350 degrees.